Framed For Murder
by sagehawk
Summary: Regina is framed for Ruby's murder instead of Archie's. Emma notices Regina's car right before she tells Henry the bad news and goes to confront her.


No one loved her for who she was. Everyone expected her to change. All she wanted was to find someone, anyone that didn't care about who she was, or who she would be. Maybe that was too much to ask. If it wasn't she had already made up her mind that it must be. Who could blame them after the atrocities she had committed? They were in the name of love, no less. What kind of person would ever love someone like her? It was pretty obvious of an answer, no one.

She learned fast that unconditional love was nonsense. She could barely remember the brief time she believed in it; all those nights at the stables with Daniel, talking about what their life would be like when they got their 'happily ever after'. She knew now that she was foolish, and yet she still couldn't shake her need to be accepted by this little boy.

When she decided to adopt, she falsely believed that, if anyone would love unconditionally it would be a child. With the curse in place however, pregnancy was impossible. Making babies took time, which no one in Storybrooke had in quite a literal way. She didn't even think about how to explain a curse to a boy who grew up even though no one else would. So when that day came, she panicked.

"Why am I the only one?" he looked at her expectantly. She didn't know what to say. This child had looked up to her for nearly 10 years. How could she break his heart and tell him that she was really a terrible selfish person? That she was someone who hurt a lot of people, and didn't deserve him?

"I don't know what you are talking about." Came her response. "It's crazy to hold on to such an idea. Of course everyone ages." His face fell and at that moment she realized it was the wrong decision. But like so many mistakes she has made in her life, Regina didn't know how to fix it; so she suffered through the consequences, fully committed to living out her mistake. What else was there to do but bury herself further in the ground with lies?

Within a year the problem escalated out of control. When had she decided to place him in therapy with Dr. Hopper? What was she thinking? If the curse ever broke she knew he would never forgive her for making him feel that he was insane. Still she had no idea how to pull her and her son out of this downward spiral. So when the day came when he showed up at night, after being missing for 24 hours, with his biological mother in tow, she shouldn't have been surprised.

She was though. So much so, she invited her in for a drink. This woman was quite beautiful and called herself Emma. Regina liked the woman and briefly allowed herself to enjoy their short visit. That is until at the door, Emma started talking as if she wanted Henry back. Regina's walls slammed closed tightly against her. If they were physical she was sure they would have knocked her over. This woman would never like her for who she was, she was just here to take Regina's only chance at unconditional love away from her. Henry.

She sent Emma away with harsh words but regretted it quickly. She watched from the window as the blonde left.

[X]

Regina couldn't believe it had been nearly two years now. She sat in her underground hideaway thinking of everything that had transpired since she had cast the curse. Nothing, however, was louder than Emma's words that had been injected in to her like poison not ten minutes ago.

_"We all know who you are and who you will always be!"_

Emma had somehow gone from her worst nightmare to her second chance in the time that she had been there. She should have known it was too good to be true. That something would inevitably destroy that. It always happened that way. The only difference was that this time she had done everything right. She hadn't killed anyone. That wasn't what upset her, what upset her was, knowing she had fallen for it again. Especially that this time with Emma by her side, she completely and truly believed she was capable of changing and worthy of Henry.

[X]

As Emma walked with Henry down the street, she informed him that she needed to tell him something important. She sat down with him on a bench and began to speak, when the sun reflected off of metal catching her eye. She looked up to see Regina's car parked a block up. Her tear streaked face reflected in her side mirror. When Regina realized the blond was looking, she quickly looked away.

Regina was about to start her car and leave when red leather clad arms rested themselves on her car window. Emma kneeled down next to the car.

"What are you doing? Going to make a public scene and make this harder for him?" She said angrily.

"What? No! I was just leaving…" Regina said trailing off not able to look in to Emma's eyes. Emma gave her a confused look.

"I have things to do Miss Swan, so if you have some more hatful words for me just spit them out already." Regina said bitterly.

"It's just, you are acting strange." Emma stated. "Why aren't you angrier? I mean you are clearly upset but…"

"If you want to psychoanalyze someone I am sure Dr. Hopper can give you some of his patients to practice on." Regina said cutting her off. She turned the key in her ignition.

"You killed Ruby, Regina." Emma stated plainly.

"No I didn't! " Regina sighed gripping the steering wheel harder. "This is pointless; I don't know why I ever thought you would believe me. Or anyone for that matter." Before Emma could respond Regina started to drive away.

Emma watched Regina go as she still felt unsure about who really killed Ruby. She had been watching Pongo for Dr. Hopper when she was killed and Emma saw his memory clearly. It showed Regina choking the life out of Ruby. But now she wasn't even sure if she could trust her own eyes. The old Regina wouldn't say she didn't kill someone out right. Normally Regina would say with a blank face that she had no idea what she was talking about.

This new Regina looked completely devastated and hurt being accused of such a thing. From what Emma could tell she had been sobbing in her car. Tissues were covering the passenger seat and her eyes were puffy. The old Regina wouldn't have let it stand when Emma told her she would no longer be seeing Henry. Emma figured she would have burned the whole damn town down to get Henry back, but instead she poofed away with a devastated look on her face. So what was it that she was missing? How could Regina and Pongo both be correct?

Suddenly Emma's stomach turned into knots. Cora, back in fairy tale land could shape shift in to other people. She suddenly knew she had made a terrible mistake. She couldn't believe she had almost told Henry.

No one loved her for who she was. Everyone expected her to change. All she wanted was to find someone, anyone that didn't care about who she was, or who she would be. Maybe that was too much to ask. If it wasn't she had already made up her mind that it must be. Who could blame them after the atrocities she had committed? They were in the name of love, no less. What kind of person would ever love someone like her? It was pretty obvious of an answer, no one.

She learned fast that unconditional love was nonsense. She could barely remember the brief time she believed in it; all those nights at the stables with Daniel, talking about what their life would be like when they got their 'happily ever after'. She knew now that she was foolish, and yet she still couldn't shake her need to be accepted by this little boy.

When she decided to adopt, she falsely believed that, if anyone would love unconditionally it would be a child. With the curse in place however, pregnancy was impossible. Making babies took time, which no one in Storybrooke had in quite a literal way. She didn't even think about how to explain a curse to a boy who grew up even though no one else would. So when that day came, she panicked.

"Why am I the only one?" he looked at her expectantly. She didn't know what to say. This child had looked up to her for nearly 10 years. How could she break his heart and tell him that she was really a terrible selfish person? That she was someone who hurt a lot of people, and didn't deserve him?

"I don't know what you are talking about." Came her response. "It's crazy to hold on to such an idea. Of course everyone ages." His face fell and at that moment she realized it was the wrong decision. But like so many mistakes she has made in her life, Regina didn't know how to fix it; so she suffered through the consequences, fully committed to living out her mistake. What else was there to do but bury herself further in the ground with lies?

Within a year the problem escalated out of control. When had she decided to place him in therapy with Dr. Hopper? What was she thinking? If the curse ever broke she knew he would never forgive her for making him feel that he was insane. Still she had no idea how to pull her and her son out of this downward spiral. So when the day came when he showed up at night, after being missing for 24 hours, with his biological mother in tow, she shouldn't have been surprised.

She was though. So much so, she invited her in for a drink. This woman was quite beautiful and called herself Emma. Regina liked the woman and briefly allowed herself to enjoy their short visit. That is until at the door, Emma started talking as if she wanted Henry back. Regina's walls slammed closed tightly against her. If they were physical she was sure they would have knocked her over. This woman would never like her for who she was, she was just here to take Regina's only chance at unconditional love away from her. Henry.

She sent Emma away with harsh words but regretted it quickly. She watched from the window as the blonde left.

[X]

Regina couldn't believe it had been nearly two years now. She sat in her underground hideaway thinking of everything that had transpired since she had cast the curse. Nothing, however, was louder than Emma's words that had been injected in to her like poison not ten minutes ago.

_"We all know who you are and who you will always be!"_

Emma had somehow gone from her worst nightmare to her second chance in the time that she had been there. She should have known it was too good to be true. That something would inevitably destroy that. It always happened that way. The only difference was that this time she had done everything right. She hadn't killed anyone. That wasn't what upset her, what upset her was, knowing she had fallen for it again. Especially that this time with Emma by her side, she completely and truly believed she was capable of changing and worthy of Henry.

[X]

As Emma walked with Henry down the street, she informed him that she needed to tell him something important. She sat down with him on a bench and began to speak, when the sun reflected off of metal catching her eye. She looked up to see Regina's car parked a block up. Her tear streaked face reflected in her side mirror. When Regina realized the blond was looking, she quickly looked away.

Regina was about to start her car and leave when red leather clad arms rested themselves on her car window. Emma kneeled down next to the car.

"What are you doing? Going to make a public scene and make this harder for him?" She said angrily.

"What? No! I was just leaving…" Regina said trailing off not able to look in to Emma's eyes. Emma gave her a confused look.

"I have things to do Miss Swan, so if you have some more hatful words for me just spit them out already." Regina said bitterly.

"It's just, you are acting strange." Emma stated. "Why aren't you angrier? I mean you are clearly upset but…"

"If you want to psychoanalyze someone I am sure Dr. Hopper can give you some of his patients to practice on." Regina said cutting her off. She turned the key in her ignition.

"You killed Ruby, Regina." Emma stated plainly.

"No I didn't! " Regina clentched her jaw and gripped the steering wheel harder. "This is pointless; I don't know why I ever thought you would believe me. Or anyone for that matter!" Before Emma could respond Regina started to drive away.

Emma watched Regina go as she still felt unsure about who really killed Ruby. She had been watching Pongo for Dr. Hopper when she was killed and Emma saw his memory clearly. It showed Regina choking the life out of Ruby. But now she wasn't even sure if she could trust her own eyes. The old Regina wouldn't say she didn't kill someone out right. Normally Regina would say with a blank face that she had no idea what she was talking about.

This new Regina looked completely devastated and hurt being accused of such a thing. From what Emma could tell she had been sobbing in her car. Tissues were covering the passenger seat and her eyes were puffy. The old Regina wouldn't have let it stand when Emma told her she would no longer be seeing Henry. Emma figured she would have burned the whole damn town down to get Henry back, but instead she poofed away with a devastated look on her face. So what was it that she was missing? How could Regina and Pongo both be correct?

Suddenly Emma's stomach turned into knots. Cora, back in fairy tale land could shape shift in to other people. She suddenly knew she had made a terrible mistake. She couldn't believe she had almost told Henry.


End file.
